Can someone please explain to me why Americans only cook and eat Irish food around St. Patrick’s Day? I mean, sure, it might not be the healthiest of cuisines, but boy is it comforting, especially with a pint of Guinness or Kilkenny. It’s the one time of year when people seem to flock to their nearest Irish pub to indulge on Irish stew, shepherd’s pie, corned beef and too much soda bread. I fully admit to spending last St. Patrick’s Day eating corned beef in a parking lot of the local dive bar, which I’m hoping not to repeat this year.

To date, I have one other St. Patrick’s Day recipe on the blog, Guinness Glazed Salmon, so I figured it was time for a change. After college, one of my best friends lived in the British Isles for about a year and when she came home, she set out on a mission to find or make a version of bangers and mash that was reminiscent of what she had experienced throughout the United Kingdom.

I remember part of her struggle was finding British-style bangers year-round. I’ll admit that I don’t generally go out of my way to find them, so when I accidentally stumbled across some “authentic” bangers, I was pleasantly surprised. When I got home, I texted my friend and asked her for some helpful tips to make these bangers as delicious as possible.

According to her, it’s all in the gravy.

Guinness gravy, specifically.

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Bangers & Mash

by Rae Goldman March-14-2018

British-style bangers are paired with a Guinness Gravy and melt-in-your-mouth potatoes.

Ingredients

4 British-Style Bangers
2 pounds, boiled for mashing Russet Potatoes
3 tablespoons Unsalted butter
1/2 cup Half & Half or Whole Milk
To taste Salt and pepper
2 large, peeled and thinly sliced Yellow onions
1 small, minced Garlic Clove
2 tablespoons Unsalted butter
2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
2 tablespoons Unsalted butter
3/4 cup Beef broth
1/2 cup Guinness Stout
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Mustard (preferably Coleman’s)
To taste Salt and pepper
1 cup Fresh frozen peas

Instructions

In a skillet, warm 2 tablespoons butter. Once melted, add the onions until they begin to soften. Add garlic and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, until the onions have begun to carmalize and the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat.Over medium-low heat, sauté the bangers, turning every 5 minutes until they’re evenly browned on all four sides.Using the same skillet used to cook the onions, melt another 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour and continue cooking until the roux is brick red. Add the beef broth and Guinness, whisking until there are no lumps. Add the Worcestershire sauce and onions, and the mustard. Keep warm until ready to serve.To mash the potatoes, melt the remaining butter over moderate heat, add the half & half or whole milk, and potatoes. Using a masher, smash the potatoes until you reach the desired consistency. If desired, use an immersion blender to purée them into a smooth, airy mixture. Serve with a generous spoonful of peas.

Details

Prep time: 5 hour Cook time: 30 hour Total time: 40 hour Yield: 4 servings